Sonder
by theamericanbxtch
Summary: Will Solace is a country boy who wishes to live in the big city, Nico is a city boy who wishes to escape the rut he created. Watch their lives intertwine and unfold in this story of love and tragedy. Your Name (Kimi No Na Wa) AU
1. Chapter 1

The first thing Nico did when he woke up, was wonder why the hell his room was so damn bright. Nobody in his family had walls covered with enough yellow to make the sun inadequate, it was basically sitting in the middle of a lightbulb. Once he got used to the ultra bright room, -like damn take it down a notch- he started to notice other changes to the room. Mainly the millions of medical books laying around and the fact his bed was a somber blue, the shade you might see closer to dusk when the sky is reflected in the beautiful sea wa- wait, why did it smell less like the sea and more? Oh, god was that manure?! Where the hell was he?! After a moment of deliberation, he quickly slipped out of the bed, only to stop and stare at the mirror. The blonde hair, blue eyed, beautiful tanned skin and freckled face male was not who he was expecting to see in the mirror.

"What the fuck?!" He whispered, the eyes of the reflection showing the same amount of surprise he felt.

"WILL! ITS ALMOST TIME TO LEAVE" a female voice yelled from the bottom floor, the sounds of multiple people talking surprised him.

"Uh...Is that me?!" He asked once opening the door, surprised to see a green haired female climb up the steps.

"Really? This again?! I get you don't like to go to school, especially after the bullshit Travis and Conner pulled yesterday, but don't act like you forgot your own name" the female responded, clearly tired of conversations like this. Nico had started to wonder if this was a dream, maybe he should enjoy being someone else for a little while?

* * *

Will had awaken to the sound of an alarm buzzing and quickly fell out of the bed when trying to shut it off, the room being unusually dark and the sound surprising him. Once the sound of buzzing stopped, the male rubbed his eyes and looked around a bit. Why were there blackout curtains? What was with the skulls and empty McDonald's wrappers? Is that bed covered in pillows? He was completely bewildered by the new setting and slowly stood, the mirror on the nearby closet door revealing it all to him. The dark hair and eyes, the pale skin and black clothes.

"Am I emo?" He asked, not realizing that an older male, who looked similar to him, had opened the door to check on him.

"I'm glad you finally realized this, Nico." he said, his voice stern but gentle. As if he was a man who could do harm if he wanted to but instead showed compassion. "Anyways, I made you some breakfast for once. I have to go, behave at school okay?" He then closed the door, leaving Will to question if this was reality or not. Probably just a dream? Yeah hopefully. The sound of honking actually made him jump, causing him to pull back the curtains and smile like an idiot at the scene.

"This is the city!" He said excitedly, having a dorky grin on his face as he quickly got dressed and grabbed the phone off the dresser. "So, I need to find my way to school, unless a friend picks me up...I wonder who Nico's friends are?" He started to speculate that he might be around a group of kids like Nico, it was a bit nervewracking that he might have to discuss things like death but also a bit exciting. Or maybe they were a group of dorks and teased Nico for dressing like this, how should he respond to that? While speculating, he sat at the table and ate the meal his father? provided him with.

* * *

"Hey, Will!"  
"Sup, Will?"  
"Will, do you know where the amygdala is?"  
"Hey, Solace, do you have bandaids?!"  
"Will, Kayla said you forgot your name. Are you doing okay?"  
"Solace!"  
No matter where Nico looked, everyone seemed to know his name and attempted to greet him. He felt surrounded and didn't know how to escape without answering a few questions. After a while he just glared at anyone who attempted to speak to him, finding it more effective as those attempting to talk to him seemed to back off until a pair of twins appeared.

"Solace? What's with the look?! I thought we were friends here" the taller of the two said, ruffling his hair "sorry for shredding your exam, we told the teacher and she'll let you retake it." The male seemed to be looking for some form of confirmation that Nico understood. He didn't and continued to glare at the twins, or at least what he suspected to be twins.

"Will, you feelin' alright?" The shorter one asked, tilting his head.

"Yeah, fine...just leave me be for now." He muttered, clearly irritated with how the two were talking to him, still. Did they not get that he wanted to be left alone?  
"Well, Connor and I are here if you need anything...I guess?" The twins looked at each other before walking off, whispering quietly to one another. Nico didn't care and walked to the back of his classroom, having found where it was using Will's phone. He found a chair to sit in and just rested his head on the desk, ignoring the stares from the rest of the class. Who cared anyways? It was just a dream.

* * *

Will had become lost, having found Nico's phone unreliable in terms of school information. Though the kid did have flawless taste in music and he was grateful for that. He hummed along quietly before being startled by a hand on his shoulder, looking behind him to find a taller female. Her chestnut colored hair was in a side braid, her tan skin only making her brown eyes filled with concern standout and a faint sigh escaped her thin lips.

"Nico? First off, you're heading the wrong way and secondly, are you feeling okay? You were humming a song." She said, removing her hand and guiding him in the direction of the school. Her brown eyes still filled with worry and curiosity.

"Sorry, didn't realize someone I knew was around and that I had been going the wrong way." He said with a grin, causing her brow to furrow intensely. He was wondering why she so concerned, did he not smile or sing? What sad life did Nico have to live where singing was no longer a pleasure? This thought ran through his mind, causing him not to notice he'd been asked a question. "Sorry, I didn't catch that?"

"You seem happy, did something good happen?"

"No, I just woke up in a good mood. Though it might fade once we get to class." He hoped his response sounded reasonable as he walked through the brick and mortar building, his eyes on the different doors.

"You're going to be late if you follow me, your class is through this door. I don't think you're just chipper, you're forgetful too." She said, walking off and leaving him to move through the crowd desks, the open one in the back most likely would be his. The spot was close enough to read the board but far enough to ignore and sleep.

"Hmm...i wonder if he sleeps in class," he wrote in the back of the notebook he pulled out, finding intriguing doodles. He sorta wished this wasn't a dream, then maybe he would be able to meet Nico in person as he seemed like a very interesting individual.


	2. Chapter 2

Well, Nico finally knew where the hell he was in the world: Lecompton, Kansas. Population: Nobody of any significance. The wide empty plains and the vast nothingness gave away the fact he was probably nowhere near the beach. Well, he figured it was a plus though he could see how this town could drive any sane person mad. Everybody knew everyone, secrets were almost impossible to keep and if you were acting like an emo kid sitting in the corner, when you're normally too chipper for the others to handle, then you got sent to the counselors office to discuss your feelings. We'll that's where Nico was now, sitting on a very comfty couch and glaring at a bearded male. Doctor Chiron, has been a psychologist for as long as anyone could remember.

"So, Mr. Solace? I see that everyone seems to believe that you're having an off day. But neither of us believe that do we?" He asked, his eyes carefully watching the males reaction as Nico nodded his head. The doctor creeped him out a bit, seeming to know a lot more than he was letting on for the moment. "Now, now...Will, have you been reading those books I let you borrow?"

"Which ones? I have so many, maybe you should take them back?" He responded, his voice steady and quiet.

"No, No. I think you'll find them useful but yes I can see what the other teachers are saying. I'll just inform them that you're experiencing exhaustion and should just leave you be." He told Nico, sending his male back to his class. Now which way was it?

* * *

Will, meanwhile, was already on his lunch break and confused by the people at his table. There was the girl from earlier, Reyna, a boy with brilliant sea green eyes, Percy, his extremely intelligent girlfriend, Annabeth, his half sister and her boyfriend, Hazel and Frank. The group had a different dynamic compared to his friends at home. Though he felt they would've gotten along nicely, as Jason and Piper cared for others, but not as much as each other, while Leo was just charismatic enough to make friends. Though at times, he would poke fun at Leo's ego but Calypso normally would shut him down if it got too inflated.

"Nico, Reyna says you've been acting strange. Is that true?" Annabeth said, causing will to realize that he was being stared at and beaming like an idiot.

"Uh...no, i don't think so?" He mumbled awkwardly and rubbed his feet together.

"I don't think i believe you, you're grinning like you just got given the best news of your life" Hazel popped in the discussion, giving Will a sincere expression of concern on his face.

"I'm fine, I promise y'all"

"... _ **y'all**_?" Percy said, clearly a bit more interested in what was occuring. "You sound as if you should live in Louisiana or Texas." He was about to mock him again when Annabeth smacked the back of his head. "Oww..."

"Don't mock him!" She said sternly, watching the male nodded slowly before turning back to Will.

"You're acting as if you're someone else."

"I'm sorry, I'll try my best to be my usual self but I'm feeling a bit optimistic today." He said, shrugging slightly.

"It's kinda funny seeing Nico happy, especially in New York" Frank muttered quietly to Hazel, but it was still loud enough for Will to hear. "Maybe i should go to my next class, since everyone only wants to interrogate me." He muttered, throwing his leftovers in the trash before storming towards a building. Was it the right one? He didn't care.

* * *

Eventually, he found his way to the classroom and just sat in the back after handing the teacher his note. Once there, a student next to him carefully nudged his shoulder.

"Hey, Will?" He whispered, the blonde hair and blue eyed male looking as if he could be his twin. It only took a few moments for Nico to raise his head and stare at the other, glaring darkly.

"What?!" He whispered sharply back, as if he was trying to use his words to slice through butter. The other male blinked a bit, concern evident in his eyes.

"I guess the others weren't lying, you aren't acting like yourself." He mumbled with concern.

"Grace! I see you're feeling a bit chatty today, so why not tell us what you're discussing with Solace?" The teacher said quickly, her green eyes observing the two.

"Uh...I was just asking if he felt well, Miss. He seems to be a bit off today" The blonde stated honestly, before the teacher turned her attention to Nico.

"Is this true?" She asked, tapping her foot.

"Even if it is, this was between me and him ma'am. I don't intrude on your discussions, don't intrude on mine" he said, causing the class to just stare at him.

"Will, what the hell are you doing?! You're going to get detention." A brown hair female muttered from the other side of the blonde. The teacher was clearly taken aback by his words and took a deep breath.

"Well, you're interrupting class with your conversation"

"I was trying to sleep, he was whispering and nobody was even giving a fuck about our discussion until you brought it up. You could've left us alone, he would've eventually shut up and let me sleep." He snapped, all eyes on him had grown wide with shock. They hadn't expected Will to curse or even talk back, it wasn't long until the whispering start again. The teacher herself didn't know how to properly respond to this situation and figured she'll just pretend it didn't happen, the counselor had said he was feeling a bit off. Finally, he was left alone and just rested his head on the desk. Honestly, it was an accident that he cursed but it was a dream anyways. So, who cared?

* * *

The last class had ended for Will and he was now trying to find his way back home, feeling drained from the amount of questions the others had. It wasn't their fault they were concerned but it was a bit infuriating, couldn't they just believe he was having a good day for once? Does he always have to be depressed? Why was Nico always sad anyways? There were many questions about the male who seemed to be his exact opposite, but for now he should be glad he survived a school day.

"Nico Di Angelo...I don't think I'll be forgetting that name any time soon" he whispered, repeating it over and over again in his head. Once he was at the door, he was surprised to see Hazel and Reyna there "hey, I thought you guys went home?"

"Nico? You do know what today is right?" Hazel said, her voice somber as she bit her lip.

"...no?...did i forget someone's birthday?" He asked, reaching out to grab the door knob.

"It's the 6th anniversary of Bianca's death. We still haven't food the hit and run driver who killed your sister." Reyna whispered, the concern evident in his eyes. The revelation having completely stunned Will, the pieces having started to make sense. No wonder the group was interrogating him, no wonder Reyna looked more concern whenever he smiled. It looked like he finally snapped, that he pretended that day didn't happen. That Nico had forgotten about his sister.


	3. Chapter 3

The bell rang to signal the end of class and also cause Nico to fall out his chair. Yes, he had been sleeping but it was still demoralizing to end up face first on the floor. After a moment, he slowly started to push himself off the ground and grabbed his bag, grateful that the school day was finally over. It was strange to experience a small town school day because by lunch time everyone had already known he cursed at a teacher.

"Well, this is a dream anyway" he mumbled and started to walk towards Will's home. He found out that Kayla Knowles and Austin Lake were his siblings, well half- siblings as they all had different mothers. Apparently, they all lived in their father's home and mostly took care of themselves. Once at the house, he shoved the door open and ignored the questions the two had before storming up the stairs. After he arrived in the ungodly yellow room, he closed the door and slid down before starting to cry. The tears he had been holding back ran down his cheeks.

Bianca Di Angelo was only 13 when a car drove right through her. She had been walking with Percy when it happened and called 911 but it was too late. By the time the paramedics arrived, she had already passed on. For the first two years after the incident, Nico ignored Percy and blamed him for his sister's death. It was around that time he attempted suicide and had to be placed in a mental hospital. Over the next few years, the want to blame Percy had faded along with the wish of death.

After rubbing his eyes, Nico laid on the bed and yawned slightly. Eventually, he fell into a gentle slumber, dreaming about being with his sister again.

* * *

Will had found a way to escape Hazel and Reyna's questions long enough to run into the apartment and lock the door. After a moment, he walked to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of soda, drinking it while considering how idiotic he looked today. He wondered why teachers pulled him aside, asking if he was okay, or why the principal gave a sad expression.

"I fucked up...I'm sorry, Nico, hopefully, nothing too chaotic happens..." he sincerely hoped this was a dream now, because how cruel does someone have to be to ignore the fact they killed a teen?! Once done with his soda, he placed it in the sink and walked down the hall to Nico's room. After a bit he started to clean, finding that it helped to eliminate a minority of the anger he felt.

"Does his family never cook?" He whispered and threw the rest of the trash away. After completing that task, Will collapsed on the bed. The feeling of exhaustion from the events of the day had started to take over. Maybe a nap would be good? Plus he wouldn't have to think of asshole drivers. God, it still pissed him off but he was too tired to care. In moments he had snuggled into under the blankets, his eyes soon falling shut and he started his nightly practice of being dead, actually asleep.

* * *

Nico jolted awake, a gasp quietly escaped from his mouth before he gazed around the room. It was dark due to the black out currents but he could see the outlines of his skull drawings and rock band posters. A faint smile appeared on his face, it was just a dream. He wasn't in Kansas, he didn't curse a teacher out and his name wasn- what was the name of the blonde? Did he have blue eyes? Whatever it wasn't important.

"I'm home, but it was nice to be somewhere else," he muttered his expression turning to confusion when he realized his floor was clean. What happened to the wrappers? Did they vanish? Soon he noticed he wasn't wearing the clothes he fell asleep in and that his backpack was slightly ajar. After a bit he got off the bed and dug in his bag, pulling out his notebook. All the pages seemed fine until the last one, the handwriting was nowhere near the chicken scratch on the last few pages.

"Was it real?...does that mean I got him in trouble?...WAIT WHAT DID HE DO TO ME?!" He yelled, starting to panic and pulled out his phone to call Reyna.

"Hey, Nico? You doing alright now? I know your sister's death can make things hard for you." The female voice on the other side of the phone said calmly.

"Yeah, I'm doing fine Reyna...Did I do anything weird today?"

"Well, you smiled a lot and said Y'all?"

"Fuck..." he held his head, it had to be real.

* * *

The male groaned at the sound of knocking and slowly opened his eyes, struggling to see from the brightness of the yellow. It wasn't even his choice that the room was this bright, his dad had painted yellow when he was born. Recently, it seems to have become bright enough to blind anyone that looked directly at it.

"Will! It's time for supper." Kayla said from behind the door, the sound of feet stomping down steps was heard soon after. A grin appeared on the blonde's face as he looked in the mirror, the expression quickly fading.

"I don't remember changing" he mumbled before opening his door and walking down the steps. He found Austin in the middle of draining noodles for spaghetti and Kayla setting plates. The smile had already reappeared as he started to help, making sure there were enough cups for the three of them.

"You seem to be like yourself again," Kayla regarded, finally taking a seat while Austin brought over the food.

"I don't understand? How was I different?" He asked and placed some noodles onto his plate, grabbing the Alfredo sauce to pour on top.

"Well, you cursed out a teacher according to Piper and Jason," Austin said before taking a bite of his food, leaving Will to stare at him like he was insane.

"No...i didn't...I never have?" He was confused and staring at Kayla.

"If dunt kow iff igs two," she responded, her mouth full of food.

"Please don't talk with your mouthful and it has to be false." There was no way he switched bodies with a New Yorker.

"Whatever you say, anyways are you guys ready for the meteor shower on Friday?" Austin said with excitement as Kayla nodded her head. The two continued to discuss while Will ate his food, was it real? He didn't even remember the other's name. It seemed most likely to be true and he was going to have to lay down some ground rules. First off, don't curse out a fucking teacher!


	4. Chapter 4

This was a one time thing, Nico had no reason to believe otherwise. He had just accidentally switched with someone (he forgot the male's name oops) from Kansas and had to fix some of the mistakes the other had made. It wasn't that big of a deal, right?

After his call with Reyna, Nico walked over to his closet and sorted through the clothes. Yes, most of the shirts were black. Why? Because he was always mourning and why shouldn't he? His sister was killed thanks to some idiot who decided it would be smart to plow straight through her. So, he'll wear black until the day he dies and will continue to mourn her. Within a few moments he had found what he was looking for, a small red box with Bianca's name written in cursive on top of it.

"Hey, Sis," he whispered, tears brimming the edge of his eyes. "I'm sorry I wasn't here to talk to you today...I was in Kansas, it's a funny story how i got there." He laughed a bit, burning hot tears starting to roll down his cheeks. "...i bet you would believe me if you were still alive...It was, kind of nice to be someone else for once" His voice shook as he spoke, the tears continuing to flow down his cheeks as memories of the female ran through his head. The sound of her voice had already faded from memory which had broke his heart. "Im...im sorry Bianca...Im sorry I'm not the kind of brother you would be proud of." his grip on the box tightened as he let out a choked up sob.

* * *

"Yes, Yes Ma'am...I'm sorry for my language earlier today...yes I will accept detention tomorrow." Will muttered apologetically into the headset, his gaze focused on a drawing in his notebooks. "Bye, Mrs. Stoll" He slowly placed the phone down and traced the doodle with his finger, smiling slightly.

The picture was of a brother and sister, their hands intertwined as they walked towards the sun. The drawing was cartoonish but well done as Will immediately recognized the brother as the dark haired boy he switched with. His smile soon faded, the tear stains left on the paper were suddenly noticable and tore at Will's heart.

"I'm sorry you lost your sister, I...I don't know how you feel but I do know it would break my heart if Kayla died the same way she did." He muttered quietly, quickly hiding the paper when he heard his door creak open. Soon after, Austin's head appeared between the opening.

"Will, Can you tell the Stolls that they're assholes? I'm not prepared to deal with their bullshit." He said, his voice strained as if he was trying to hold his anger back.

"What did they do this time?" He asked, raising his brow a bit and crossing his arms.

"Lie and say the meteor shower was this Friday instead of next, just so I would ask a girl out." He grumbled, glaring when Will laughed a bit. "Anyways, can you tell them I'm not speaking to the two of them until then?"

"Yeah, sure," He said with his signature grin, causing Austin smile back before leaving the room. "As soon as I'm done trying to remember who drew this." his gaze going to the picture's hiding place.

* * *

Nico had finally place the box back in its hiding place, his eyes completely blood shot and his hair a bit of a miss. No words could accurately describe how much he missed Bianca, for six years he had been existing. He had let life pass him by and he knew that Bianca would've hated that, but he didn't know how to get back to feeling alive. He was as close to being dead as you could get without actually being dead.

In a few moments, he slowly stumbled up and rubbed his eyes a few more times before walking towards the kitchen. They had left over chinese right? He could attempt to nuke that for a few minutes, it wouldn't be good from a nutritional standpoint but at least its edible. Starving just does more harm than good in Nico's opinion, plus his sister wanted him to be alive.

After setting the orange chicken and fried rice to two minutes, Nico carefully poured himself a glass of soda and drank it. He wondered what the other male was doing? Maybe he was cleaning his room? For some unknow reason, the name of the blonde had quickly faded from Nico's memory. Wasn't there a S? Or a W? He couldn't quite recall and just shrugged it off, the beeping of the microwave startling him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Will was googling information about schools in New York and trying to figure out which one the emo kid was attending. He wanted to meet him one-day because you don't just switch souls with a person and forget their existence completely, only their name apparently. After a bit he started to softly yawn, checking the time.

"Hmm...he might already be asleep? Well then, goodnight emo dude...maybe we'll meet soon. I have enough money to go out for a day and come back the next morning if you ever wanted to meet." He mumbled in a sleepy tone and pulled off the Batman shirt he was wearing. He figured the other had picked it out because it was one of the few black shirts he owned. He realized that the two of them would most likely not meet again and he would quickly become a fading memory. No, no, no, he couldn't get so pessimistic, he quickly thought of all the talks they could have once they met while trying to pull on a pair of space pjs.

His bed felt a bit large for once, the blankets and pillows not being enough for him. What if he got a bunch like the New Yorker did? Then he wouldn't be as lonel- why was he thinking he was lonely? He had his rough and tough, but also a giant teddy bear brother, plus a sister who wouldn't take crap from anyone. So why did he feel alone? Maybe it was a pure delusion? Or maybe he wanted someone to see the glow in the dark galaxy he made! Yeah...that wasn't it, that wasn't what he wanted.

It took a while but the answer finally surfaced, he was longing for a close friend. One that he could tell everything to and feel as if they had an inseparable bond.

"Maybe...maybe you'll be that to me?...I hope you are, I don't really have close friends only people I chat with. We share the same interests but none of us go into our life stories." He mumbled, his eye lids growing heavy while he quietly wished to meet the beautful black haired boy again. "I wish to hug you, to make you smile naturally on your own...I wish to make you happy wherever you are" So, he fell into a gentle slumber and his hands carefully gripped the dusk blue sheets.


	5. Chapter 5

First thing Nico did when he woke was observed the dimly lit room, his tired eyes gazing over the familiar pictures, messy dresser, and water-damaged wallpaper. Once confirming that this was, in fact, his own run-down apartment bedroom, he slipped out of bed and prepared to dress for school. Honestly, that surfer looking teen from Kansas was lucky. He probably would still be asleep for another hour or two, maybe four depending on the time his school starts.

Fifteen minutes later, Nico was dressed in his typical baggy jeans and random rock band t- shirt, listening to the same band while walking towards his high school. A black haired, light skinned male was clearly teasing a blonde female, in a way that only couples would, while they walked. Nico removed an earbud once the male noticed him, though his content expression showed he was preoccupied with something pleasant for once.

"Annabeth, do you see this?! He's actually smiling, for the second day in a row. Do you think he's broken?" The male said, his sea-green eyes showing a mixture of bewilderment and pride.

"No, he's most likely found something in life that brings him joy, Seaweed Brain," She stated bluntly, ruffling the male's hair before snapping her fingers in front of Nico's face.

For the most part he hadn't really registered what the other's were saying, but definitely heard them talk. It was in that instant Nico truly understood what people meant when they said listening and understanding were two different concepts because he was totally listening but didn't understand a single word he heard.

"Huh? Were you talking to me?" He asked, his focus back on the two in front of him as his smile slowly faded. The pleasant thoughts having been brutally murdered by a bitch named reality.

"Yeah, Percy still thinks you're broken as you were smiling again."

"Yep! Your mind has finally shattered," he said, earning a slap to the back of the head from his girlfriend.

"Percy shut the fuck up. Anyways, I personally think you finally found someone who makes you happy" she said, giving a pouting Percy a gentle peck on the cheek as Nico quietly contemplated his response.

"Mostly, the idea of something. Like traveling to the world or seeing a life of a stranger through their shoes. Knowing that a simple person at a bus stop or in a train has just as complicated of a story as I do." He responded, the smile appearing again. "Knowing I only get to see a glimpse into their life."

"You mean sonder?" She said, smiling as they walked through the door.

* * *

"What does that mean?" Will asked Piper, her brown hair in a waterfall styled braid, and blinked at the huge smile suddenly appearing on her face as they took their seats in the class.

"Sonder is the realization that everyone's lives, even people you see in cafes or walk past, have just as complicated of a life as yours. Full of hardships and complications you may never know about." She said, in all too eager tone. "I'm sorry, I just got really excited when you asked as it is my favorite word" Honestly, the word fit the feeling he had every time he thought of Nico. A random stranger he knew nothing about and suddenly he gets to experience part of his life. Only to discover it's full of things that shouldn't have taken place.

"No...no, it's perfectly fine, I'm grateful to have a word for this now," he said, grinning as widely as he could at her and giving off an optimistic appearance. It honestly wasn't hard, as everyone seems relieved he was himself. Travis and Connor talked about how shocked their mom was to be berated by Will in the middle of class. Which meant he immediately went to Mrs. Stoll and apologized repeatedly.

Then, Jason explained how he was getting detention for Will's behavior. Which then lead to another apology followed by a promise to leave him out of his punishments. The blonde didn't need his life effected by a third party he didn't know existed, honestly it was kinda creepy if he thought about it. With no explanation, he just suddenly becomes a stranger overnight then went back to his usual self. It was as if he were possessed, which wasn't all that inaccurate as his body was being controlled by a spirit independent of his own control.

"Well, that's good. It's an interesting feeling to describe isn't it?" She said, turning around to face the front as soon as the teacher walked in. Will had wanted to talk longer to Piper but decided it was best to wait as Mrs. Stoll had already viewed him in a poor light thanks to the New Yorker.

Honestly, Will wondered if the raven haired male was actually focusing in class or slacking off again. He wondered what expression the other made while studying, was it of intrigue or frustration? Probably boredom. Definitely, boredom if he cursed at a teacher for disrupting his sleep, though it wasn't Nico's fault that both of Mrs. Stoll's classes were dull. Even Will fell asleep on occasion as the classes got repetitive and disinteresting fast. For example, right now, He was quietly resting as Mrs. Stoll discussed human immigration.

Eventually, he woke to someone shaking his shoulder, an expression of confusion appeared on his face while gazing at darker skinned, curly haired girl with a gentle smile.

"Nico, you slept through class again. You're going to fail at this rate," Her voice was full of concern and love, allowing Will to determine that this was Nico's sister.

"...Hazel?" His voice was groggy and his eyes were struggling to stay open, a pout appearing on his face once the other girl started to laugh.

"How exhausted are you? Did you forget about me that quickly?" She responded while Will stumbled out of the chair, his eyes darting to the chalkboard. Huh? Someone put the wrong date.

* * *

Welp, Nico was pissed. First off, he hadn't been expecting to wake up to someone smacking the back of his head -a curly-haired, caramel skinned male had done it- and immediately shot up straight in his seat. Secondly, he was confused as to why he was in a history class instead of his math class. Finally, the cocky male who had woken him was laughing like a maniac to the point that Nico just glared at him.

"Woah, Will? Jez, you don't have to look at me like that. It's not like I killed your sister or something," He said and immediately, Nico was struggling not to strangle the male. It looked almost like he might cry if he didn't hit the other. Why? Why that example out of all them?! He could've said pet, brother or even parents. In one swift motion, Nico stood up and pulled the shorter male out of his seat before shoving him against the wall.

"Do NOT joke like that again or else I WILL beat you into a bloody pulp," He threatened before dropping the other on the ground, glancing between the teacher and students. Shit.

Welp, Nico was outside the principal's office thanks to the incident that occurred with Leo Valdez, he learned his name after what happened, and seemed clearly pissed that he couldn't properly explain why he did it. Who would believe him if he said that it was because he mentioned a sister dying? Nobody knew that it was still a sensitive topic for him. Well, nobody knew it was him. They saw Will, acting out in anger for no reason, and not Nico Di Angelo, the 15-year-old still stuck in the past.

"Will Solace?" Welp, hopefully, he doesn't get Will suspended.

* * *

"X equals 45, you have to divide both sides by 2 after subtracting the 18" Will answered immediately, causing the rest of Nico's classmates to stare. He was guessing some of their thoughts at the moment.

"Woah, He's so smart!"  
"That quiet kid is so short."  
"He's kinda cute!"

Or that's what he would like to believe, He wanted to give Nico a positive image beside the quiet kid who lost his sister. Based on his homework and the response from the teacher, Nico was very intelligent but none of his classmates knew due to him quietly sitting in the back. Some must've thought he was slacking because he sleeps in class, but he actually tries his best to pass and that made Will smile a bit.

"Good job, Di Angelo. Would anyone else like to answer the next question?" That made Will grin a bit wider, this is good for Nico. Maybe, if he slowly builds up the male's reputation, He'll have more friends than just the group he sits with. Or at least be a bit respected by other members of the class. It didn't take long for Will to be curious about how Nico was doing, hopefully, he didn't stab someone yet.


	6. Chapter 6

Being berated by a stranger was quite a unique experience that Nico never expected to encounter. In front of him was a woman who's appearance gave off an aura of intimidation and control. Her dark chestnut hair was perfectly curled, the black dress she was wearing had no noticeable wrinkle and her emerald eyes had an ambitious fire. Her name? Ms. Medusa, a woman who seemed to be able to kill with a single glare from behind her thick rimmed glasses.

Honestly? Nico was terrified of this woman, everything about her suggested she wasn't one to cross. Yet, he was sitting in her office for punching a kid because he mentioned something about a sibling dying. He sincerely regretted all of his decisions at the moment.

"Mr. Solace, why did you physically assault ?" She asked, her tone sharp even with such a motherly sounding voice. How did he respond to that? He can't just say 'It was a joke' or the truth as she wouldn't believe either of them.

"I had fallen asleep in class and Leo was just trying to wake me. I awoke, startled by the dream with my sister, and he made that quip about her. I already watched her die in my sleep and so, I panicked and shoved him into a wall." He spoke, trying to sound as truthful as he could, which wasn't too difficult but a bit nerve-wracking.

Ms. Medusa leaned in towards Nico and for once, he truly understood the last name someone was given. Her gaze was terrifying to the point he felt as if he couldn't look away, his body didn't turn into stone but it felt like it was. After a minute of this awkward staring contest, she moved back to her desk and started to write on a piece of paper.

"I believe you Solace, just don't let it happen again. Especially since I'll have to ruin your perfect record with a suspension if I do. Please return to class and refrain from allowing another one of these incidents to occur." She stated, allowing Nico to stand and walk out into the room. Eventually, he got to the hallway and opened Will's phone, going to memos to type up the events from earlier. Will needed to know everything anyways, it his life.

* * *

"Uh, no thank you. I'm not sure if I'm ready for a girlfriend," He told the shorter female that had spoken to him, his expression softening when she looked about ready to cry. Well, It probably took a lot of effort to ask but, alas, he didn't want to get Nico into a relationship if he didn't need one. Welp, she had already run off in tears to her best friend and was now receiving death glares. Good Job, Solace. You've only talked to this girl for two minutes and you broke her heart.

After a bit of trying to avoid the girl's best friend (man was she pissed), he eventually made outside to where Hazel and Frank were only to get raised brows when they saw him walk over.

"Aren't you working today?" Frank asked. Wait, Nico had a job? And where was it? Shit.

"Umm...i don't remember where I work?" He said awkwardly while rubbing his arms, his gaze at the ground. He couldn't see their expressions but the gasps were enough to inform him that this was an unusual response.

"You work at the pet shelter, It's two blocks away from your home," Frank said, his voice filled with concern though Will still didn't see his expression.

"Okay, It shouldn't be too hard to find... I mean it is just a pet shop" He mumbled quietly and quickly walked off towards Nico's home. He had a job? At a pet store? Was it popular? Nico didn't seem like the kind of person to work...with anything. After googling nearby pet shops on Nico's Phone, he found one nearby and figured that's probably (hopefully) where he worked. Maybe he should go to his home and find the uniform first? That would probably be best.

* * *

Welp, being yelled at by a short female with auburn hair wasn't fun. In fact, it was a bit terrifying, the Greek foreign exchange student seemed ready to strangle him for his actions.

"Why?" She snapped, glaring at him intensely. Man, was Calypso scary when she was pissed.

"Because I wasn't fully aware of the situation occurring and had a horrific dream involving my sister that may have included death. So, I reacted as though it might actually happen and I apologize" he was doing his best to fake Will's happy go lucky attitude and avoid seeming deranged as he didn't want Calypso to hate him. After a soft huff, she just nodded before smacking the back of Leo's head.

"I told you not to wake him up like that, he's easy to upset! I made him cry once after doing that" she told the male, his curly hair bobbing a bit from the smack.

"Okay! Okay, I'll be careful when waking up Will." He whined and looked at the blonde with a raised brow, making Nico shrug. Dude, he barely understands where he is why would he understand you girlfriend? Stop making assumptions man.

"Yeah, please don't. Ms. Medusa scares me the living crap out of me" he told him quickly in reply as they slowly nodded at his comments

"Yeah...Calypso almost slapped her, so I don't know if she's scared of her. But I wouldn't be surprised if Ms. Medusa was afraid of Calypso. She's a dick at times" he said with a laugh, earning another hit and causing Nico to snort a bit.

"You're the one who ends up there because of your fucking inventions."

"That's because nobody appreciates how fucking great I am" Yep, a third smack. Why were they dating? What was she thinking? This kid was an idiot.

"I still don't understand your relationship if it's mostly petty arguments," he said, tapping his chin.

"We argue because we love each other. Sometimes, people like to make it seem like their love life is perfect and that's the reason why it's destroyed. Little bickering allows us to get our stress with each other out, it's nice," she said, making Nico blink at how wise she sounded compared to her age. "Sometimes, you find love in the most unexpected of ways."

* * *

Will was now cleaning out fish tanks, the sight of the mold making him wanna gag but he continued to clean up. He didn't want to be the reason that the male lost his job as he had already been late.

Finding the pet store was a bit harder than expected and he got lost a few times before arriving at the entrance. Once he was inside he saw the many reasons why Nico would most likely work there: fluffy things, cool fish and he best friend Reyna worked there so he had someone to talk to. Though being reprimanded for his tardiness by, Percy's best friend, Grover wasn't the best thing to experience.

"Why were you late? You know I'm having trouble explaining to the rest of the workers why you're on staff when you dislike everything, you coming in late makes it a million times worse." He spoke rapidly, making it almost impossible for Will to decipher what he is saying. Eventually, he just nodded in response.

"Yeah, I get it...I'll be on time, just...had a hard time," he whispered quietly before being assigned to wash out the fish tanks. Which is what he was doing now, washing out the last one before going back Grover with an eager expression on his face. "Anything else."

"Uhh...I guess if you're in a good mood you can run the cash register?" He said, seemingly confused by the optimistic and happy-go-lucky aura that Nico suddenly developed. Welp, it was sudden to Grover but something that Will always had. He headed towards the front, having a cashier job before and knowing he could operate it, and smiled widely at customers walking in. This would be easy!

"Bye Grover, see you tomorrow" It was 11:30 am when Will finally left, having used up all his energy on working. Man, that was fucking harder than it had looked. "Okay, okay...tomorrow, will be a good day." He whispered, walking up the steps of the home. Eventually, he made it to Nico's room and carefully took off his shoes. His hands unbuttoning the uniform and grabbing some PJs to put on. He crawled into the bed and pulled the covers up to his chest before falling asleep.


End file.
